Fueled by the growth of computer and networking technologies, today's gaming industry is able to offer a large variety of highly sophisticated and entertaining gaming options to casino patrons. For example, a typical casino offers a large variety of electronic games including: wagering games, such as video and mechanical slots; video card games, such as poker, blackjack, and the like; video keno; video bingo; video pachinko; and other video games. In addition, the casinos offer a large variety of table games, such as poker, blackjack, craps, roulette, and the like. These video and table games are frequently computerized to make playing experiences more exciting and entertaining, as well as to optimize the casino's ability to monitor and control the gaming environment.
In a typical casino, computerized gaming machines are often interconnected into one or more local and wide area networks, which are then connected to the “back office” computing systems, that support the gaming environment by providing various accounting, game-monitoring, authentication, and other services. For example, some casinos employ wired, IEEE 802.3-based, communication networks, while others use wireless, IEEE 802.11-based, networking infrastructure. The resulting distributed computer network typically uses various Internet. Protocol (“IP”) based services, protocols and software and hardware network devices for providing a secure, reliable, and scalable gaming environment.
The proliferation of electronic gaming machines requires sophisticated methods for managing the ever increasing complexity and size of network gaming environments. For example, a typical casino may include hundreds of different games, each comprising hundreds of gaming machines that are interconnected into an IP-based network. Furthermore, each gaming machine may comprise various in-game network devices, such as bill validator, printer, card read, or the like, that facilitate operation of the gaming machine. Configuration, management, and troubleshooting of a gaming network of such magnitude and complexity are daunting tasks even for the largest and most experienced information technology (“IT”) departments. These tasks are only exacerbated by the round-the-clock operation of a casino, in which gaming machines must be running 24/7 and any downtime results in the loss of revenue.
One problem in network gaming environments is the apparent inability of the standard IP-based protocols and network devices to support networks of such magnitude in highly demanding operating conditions. For example, to begin proper operation during system start-up, which may occur after a power interruption or other event that results in a system shutdown, the electronic gaming machines and the associated in-game devices need to obtain their IP addresses, as well as other network and system configuration information from a central Dynamic Hosting Configuration Protocol (“DHCP”) server. If this information is not received in a timely manner, the electronic gaming machines and the associated in-game devices will typically set themselves up in a non-communicable address range or set its IP address to all zeros. Then, they may either retry or stop communications, depending on the sophistication level of their IP programming.
In a centralized DHCP schema, which is typically implemented in a medium to large casino, at power-up of the entire casino, 10,000 to 30,000 network devices may be requesting simultaneously IP address leases from a central DHCP server. Most standard DHCP servers can handle only 50-100 leases per second. That leaves many network devices suspended and inoperative while awaiting service from the DHCP server. There is also a massive amount of network traffic as each gaming machine and network devices therein broadcast for DHCP lease. This can overwhelm the network routers and switches, exacerbating the problem. Presently, there is no adequate solution in the industry for this problem. Accordingly, there is a need for a mechanism for efficient and effective management and distribution of IP addresses in a network gaming environment.